The Batman - Part II already has lofty expectations, but it could have a difficult time continuing a Batman sequel trend where it gets even better reviews. Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson are returning for a sequel to The Batman after the first film became a celebrated relaunch of DC's iconic superhero. Even after several past Batman movie franchises, the film managed to find a new way to explore Bruce Wayne's life and the city of Gotham. It came as no surprise then when The Batman 2 was formally announced to be in development as Reeves and Pattinson reunite to continue the franchise and possibly take it to new heights.
As the second film in the franchise, The Batman 2 can learn some lessons from the past Batman movie sequels. This could include anything from making conscious decisions to use different characters and villains from prior films or repeating The Dark Knight's decision to make Joker The Batman 2's villain. In any instance, the sequel will be compared not only to the prior film in the new franchise but also to the second installments of previous Batman franchises. This includes its attempt to continue a sequel trend for Batman movies regarding their reviews.
Batman Returns & The Dark Knight Got Better Reviews Than Prior Film
The first direct Batman movie sequels in their franchises have a history of getting better reviews than the predecessor. Batman Returns started this trend when Tim Burton's sequel garnered higher praise than 1989's Batman. The original film scored mostly positive reviews, but Batman Returns is seen as a step up thanks to the various new characters who joined Michael Keaton's Batman. This consensus can be seen through Rotten Tomatoes, where Batman has a 73 percent Fresh rating from critics and Batman Returns jumped up to 81 percent Fresh after more positive reviews.
The better reviews trend for Batman sequels continued once The Dark Knight was released. Christopher Nolan's masterpiece received rave reviews on its way to receiving a 94 percent Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and becoming known as the best Batman movie. This was a big improvement over Batman Begins, which earned an 84 percent Fresh rating from critics. Between the bigger set pieces, a thrilling mystery, and Heath Ledger's Joker performance, The Dark Knight is widely considered to be better than the previous film. It then joins Batman Returns as the second straight film in a solo Batman franchise to get better reviews.
The Batman 2 Has The Toughest Path To Getting Better Reviews
Technically speaking, The Batman 2 will have the toughest time getting better reviews than its predecessor. Matt Reeves' The Batman received very positive reviews as it eventually settled with an 85 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. This is the highest mark for the first Batman movie in a franchise, barely edging out Batman Begins. As a result, The Batman 2's reviews will have to be even more positive to beat the 2022 DC movie. Superhero movie fatigue, a new DC Universe slate, and an increasing amount of movie critics could all make it tougher for The Batman - Part II to keep the better review trend alive.
